Paramount, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)

Section 17.104.060 of the Paramount Municipal Code splits ADU charges into impact fees and permit fees. An impact fee, as section 17.104.030 defines it, is a monetary exaction charged to a homeowner in connection with approval of a development project to defray the cost of public facilities, improvements, services and community amenities. It does not include application processing fees or any connection fee or capacity charge charged by a local agency, special district or water corporation.

For an ADU with a living area of less than 750 square feet, the City of Paramount imposes no impact fee under California Government Code Section 66000. The one carve-out is the developer impact fee levied by the Paramount Unified School District, which is required for an ADU larger than 500 square feet. Once an ADU reaches 750 square feet (500 square feet for the school district fee) or larger, the fee is calculated proportionally to the primary unit: the ADU's square footage divided by the primary dwelling's square footage, multiplied by the fee rate. The code prints that as Impact fee for ADU = (ADU square footage/primary dwelling square footage) x fee rate.

Permit fees are different. They are charged on every ADU application and every JADU application, regardless of living area, to reimburse the City for the cost of review and approval. Section 17.104.060(C) makes the property owner responsible for all applicable impact and permit fees and requires payment before a building permit is issued.

Utility charges are handled elsewhere. Section 17.104.200 says converted attached ADUs and JADUs created under section 17.104.220 need no new or separate utility connection, and no connection fee or capacity charge is required unless the ADU or JADU is built with a new single-family home. Section 17.104.220(A)(5) repeats that an applicant converting existing space is not charged a connection fee or capacity charge for the connection.